Dear Gardeners,

Happy Friday!  I just wanted to clarify a few things.  NEW THIS YEAR- we are asking that gardeners REMOVE ALL PLANT MATERIAL from their plot before the closing date (to be announced).  Please put ALL of your plant material in the compost bins.  Closer to closing day, we will put a hayrack in the garden.  Plant material can be placed on the hayrack as well to prevent the compost bins from becoming too full.  All plant material will be taken out in the pasture for composting.  It will NOT be brought back to the community garden.  We are trying to prevent diseases by not letting diseased plants be tilled into the garden.  We are also hoping that by removing the plant material, insects such as cucumber and squash beetles will not overwinter in plant material in the plots.  Thank you for helping to improve the community garden!

Here are some more announcements:

•Fall Sales at Wagner Farm- Come and buy your mums, pumpkins and gourds at Wagner Farm.  Farm toys and gifts will be available as well!

•Build Your Own Scarecrow- Join me THIS SATURDAY at Wagner Farm to build a scarecrow.  Bring some old clothes and the farm will provide you with the straw, a pumpkin head, and instructions on how to do it!  12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.  The cost is $5 per scarecrow.

•Fall Harvest Festival- Experience how harvest time was celebrated on an early 20th century farm.  Join us for wagon rides, farm activities, and fall arts and crafts.  Harvest foods are available for purchase.  

When:  Saturday, October 15, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

$5 per person, children under 2 are free

•GARDEN CLOSING- I will try to keep the garden open until around the 3rd week in October.  If we happen to have an early frost or very cold spell, we may have to close earlier.  Please be a good community garden member and continue to harvest and weed your plot.  

•EARLY CLOSING- If you would like to close up your plot early, please remove all non-organic materials such as tomato ties, plant tags, stakes, string, cages, etc.  Take them home or put them in the trash.  Remove all plant material and put it in a compost bin.  When you are completely out of your plot, please send me an e-mail.  I will check your plot to see that it has been properly closed down.  We will mow any remaining weeds/grass to keep our garden looking neat.  E-mail me with any questions.

•DONATIONS- I will be at the farm on Saturday from 10:00-11:30 to collect donations for the Northfield Food Pantry.  Your fresh food donations are greatly appreciated.

Happy Gardening!

Alyssa Tadelman

Dear Gardeners,

Harvest time is a very exciting time in the garden!  There are so many beautiful vegetables ready to be harvested in the garden right now!!!  Don't forget to come and harvest your crops.  We have about 4 more weeks in the garden.  We are hoping to keep the garden open until about the third week in October (weather permitting).  This is just enough time to grow some fresh greens like butter lettuce, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, arugula, and Asian greens.  This is also a great time to grow a cover crop in your garden.  A cover crop adds nitrogen to your soil, suppress weeds, attract bees and beneficial insects, and much, much, more!  I highly recommend planting a cover crop in your plot.

If you are finished with your garden plot, please remove all plants and put them in the compost bins (peas and beans can be left to be turned into the soil to add nitrogen).  Remove all non-organic material as well.  Throw stakes and structures in the trash or take them home with you.  Throw out all plant tags and tomato ties.  LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU ARE DONE WITH YOUR PLOT.

Thank you!
Alyssa

Dear Gardeners,

I certainly have not needed to run the irrigation system lately!  We have had more rain than we need!  I hope your plots are not too flooded and that your plants are still surviving and producing for you.  I am constantly amazed at all of the delicious vegetables ready for harvest in our garden.  PLEASE COME AND HARVEST YOUR VEGGIES!!!  

Here are some more announcements:

•HARVEST VEGETABLE COOKING CLASS- You have a variety of veggies-now what do you do with them?  Taught by local chef, Jill Houk, you will discover new recipes, especially using TOMATOES and eat what you cook!  Please join me on Tuesday, September 20 from 6:00-7:30 pm for this fun class!

•GARDEN CLOSING- These are words we all don't want to hear!  I will try to keep the garden open until around the 3rd week in October.  If we happen to have an early frost or very cold spell, we may have to close earlier.  So that means, we have plenty more gardening time!!!! Be a good community garden member and continue to harvest and weed your plot.  

•EARLY CLOSING- A few gardeners have expressed interest in being done with their plots for the season.  If you would like to close up your plot early, please remove all non-organic materials such as tomato ties, plant tags, stakes, string, cages, etc.  Take them home or put them in the trash.  Remove all plant material and put it in a compost bin.  When you are completely out of your plot, please send me an e-mail.  I will check your plot to see that it has been properly closed down.  We will mow any remaining weeds/grass to keep our garden looking neat.  E-mail me with any questions.

•DONATIONS- I will be at the farm on Saturday from 10:00-11:30 to collect donations for the Northfield Food Pantry.  Your fresh food donations are greatly appreciated.

•MILK FUNGICIDE (Upon Request Only)- Lately, I have not seen anyone using the milk fungicide.  If you would think you will be using it this Saturday, PLEASE E-MAIL ME.  I am happy to mix it and put it out if you would like to use it.

Happy Gardening!

Alyssa Tadelman

What to Grow in July

Hi Gardeners!  Many of you have been asking me what you can still plant and grow in your garden in the month of July.  It’s not too late to grow a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers.  There are many choices, it may be hard to choose what to grow in an empty spot in your plot.  When choosing starter plants or seeds, simply check the DAYS TO MATURITY to make sure that you have enough days left in the season to grow the variety you are growing.  Keep in mind that the Community Garden is typically open until mid-October.

VEGETABLES AND HERBS                         FLOWERS

basil                                                                                                   marigolds

beans                                                                                                 sunflowers

beets                                                                                                  cosmos

broccoli raab                                                                                  zinnias

collard greens                                                                                four o’clocks

coriander (cilantro)                                                                     nasturtium

cucumbers (try them now… the beetles don’t seem as bad)

dill

edamame

green onions (also called bunching onions)

parsley

bush beans and pole beans

kale

kohlrabi

pak choi

leeks

lettuce

marjoram

mustard greens

oregano

perpetual spinach

pumpkins

raddichio

radishes

sage

scallions

summer and winter squash

swiss chard

thyme

turnips

Dear Gardeners,


Please note that the following workshop has been rescheduled.  Hope to see you there!

"Grow Your Own" Workshop- Wednesday, July 27 from 6:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
Jeanne Nolan, The Organic Gardener, has been growing food organically for over twenty-five years. She's helped build over a thousand organic food gardens in and around Chicagoland for families, schools, restaurants, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

Discover how Jeanne's background in large-scale organic communal farming influenced her current approach to gardening. Obtain detailed how-to lessons on designing and maintaining a productive organic garden, based on Jeanne's five keys to gardening success. 

"Grow Your Own" will be held in the Heritage Center at Wagner Farm.

RSVP to Alyssa if you are interested in attending. Alyssa.Tadelman@glenviewparks.org Please specify the class(es) you are interested in.

Thanks!
Alyssa Tadelman